


footpaths

by tookumade



Series: SportsFest - 2018 [6]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Compliant, Dialogue Heavy, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 12:50:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15510267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tookumade/pseuds/tookumade
Summary: “Hmm…” Sugawara stuffs his hands into his pockets, collecting his thoughts together. “You’re… thinking about what we decided today, aren’t you? Well, that’s rhetorical; it’s pretty obvious.”Daichi gives a little sheepish laugh and rubs his neck, looking away. “We third years decided to stay with the volleyball club,” he says with a nod. “It’s… it’s set in stone, now. We’re all going to the Spring High together.”“Obviously.” Sugawara peers at him shrewdly. “And yet…?”





	footpaths

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Crollalanza](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crollalanza/gifts).



> SportsFest 2018 Bonus Round 2 prompt:
> 
>  **Ship/Character:** DaiSuga OR MatsuHana OR KiyoYachi
> 
> Prompt:
> 
>  _'Forget what we're told_  
>  Before we get too old  
> Show me a garden that's bursting into life.'  
> — Snow Patrol, Chasing Cars

There are moments when Daichi is quiet simply because he can be, and moments when he’s quiet because there’s something weighing on his mind. Sugawara has gotten good at telling which is which.

They’re walking home from school, and Daichi’s in his quiet-because-he’s-thinking-too-much moods. Well. They can’t have that, now, can they? Not on Sugawara’s watch!

Not-so-gently, he digs an elbow into Daichi’s ribs, and Daichi yelps and jumps away.

“What was that for?!” he splutters indignantly, rubbing his side. There’s no anger in his tone—they know each other well enough for this.

“I should be asking you,” says Sugawara cheerfully as they continue walking.

“What?”

“Hmm…” Sugawara stuffs his hands into his pockets, collecting his thoughts together. “You’re… thinking about what we decided today, aren’t you? Well, that’s rhetorical; it’s pretty obvious.”

Daichi gives a little sheepish laugh and rubs his neck, looking away. “We third years decided to stay with the volleyball club,” he says with a nod. “It’s… it’s set in stone, now. We’re all going to the Spring High together.”

“Obviously.” Sugawara peers at him shrewdly. “And yet…?”

They stop walking at almost the same time. Daichi scuffs his shoe against the ground, and Sugawara—just because he can—steps lightly on his foot.

“You’re sure about this, Suga?”

He looks up, surprised. “Me? What, continuing on with volleyball? Of course, I’m sure! I was the most sure out of all of us! You heard me didn’t you?” He jabs a hand into Daichi’s ribs—again, just because he can—and Daichi parries him away hastily.

“I heard you! I heard you,” Daichi says.

“ _Then?_ ” Sugawara demands with a frown. Daichi is being wishy-washy, and this isn’t like him. He doesn’t like it.

After a pause, Daichi takes a deep breath and looks up at him, all serious and uncertain, and Sugawara has to fight back the urge to squish his cheeks between his hands in an attempt to lighten the mood.

“You’re doing this—staying in the club—for yourself, right?” says Daichi. “You’re not doing this for… for my sake or anything?”

“For—” Sugawara stares at him. “For _your_ sake?”

“Well.” Daichi looks embarrassed. “When you put it _that_ way…”

“ _Sawamura Daichi._ ”

“Forget it, I know it sounds silly—”

“Of course I’m doing this for your sake!”

“That—" Daichi stares at him. “Wait, what?”

A slow grin spreads across Sugawara’s face, and when he sees a little smile cross Daichi’s, he says, gentler now, “Daichi, come on. I’m doing this for _everyone’s_ sake. You, Asahi, the second years, the first years… Shimizu, Ukai-san and Takeda-sensei. Everyone. _You._ And by extension, my sake, too.”

He’s still stepping on Daichi’s shoe. He moves his foot and rocks back on his heels, and he can see Daichi exhale softly, see the tension leave his shoulders.

“What Takeda-sensei said—”

“About studying and keeping up our grades?”

“Yeah.”

“He also said to make decisions we won’t regret.” Sugawara’s tone is patient. “My grades will be all right, but more than that, do you really think I could just… _sit back_ without fighting alongside you all? After everything we went through, even before the first years came along?” He nudges Daichi foot with his own. “Without fighting alongside _you?_ That’s another rhetorical question, by the way.” When Daichi gives another sheepish little laugh, he adds: “If our roles were swapped, and I was the captain, and I said I wanted to keep playing, you would stay, too.”

“That’s…” Daichi sighs, nods, smiles a little wider. “Yeah. Yeah, I would. In a heartbeat.”

Sugawara steps a tiny bit closer to him, and Daichi’s eyes flicker up to meet his own.

“I’m staying for everyone,” says Sugawara.

“For Nationals,” says Daichi.

“For you. For me.”

Daichi takes another deep breath and tilts his head back to stare up at the sky, orange and pink in the sunset. Somewhere nearby, a crow caws.

“Yeah,” he breathes. His eyes are clearer now, his quietness isn’t heavy anymore, and Sugawara likes this much better. “We’re going to win, Suga.”

And Sugawara grins. “As if there was ever any doubt.”


End file.
